At Prime Minister's Questions last September, she confronted David Cameron on the Government not doing enough to help deal with Europe's worst refugee crisis since the Second World War.

"Can the Prime Minister tell the House whether he thinks he has led public opinion on the refugee crisis or followed it?"

That the Government has repeatedly had to change its position - in particular agreeing to Alf Dubs' call for the UK to accept thousands of lone child refugees - is in no small part down to her efforts.

Yet the issues she fought for were as much domestic as internationalist. In one Westminster Hall debate on how easy it is to have a family in politics, she discussed how being a parent meant she had "changed beyond measure".

"I understand how hard it is to be a parent, and to balance trying to earn an income and to be a good mum with caring responsibilities for elderly relatives. Such experiences will make people in this place better law makers, so we must attract women, and both women and men who are parents."